Press Release

Greystones Public meeting to address Providence Resources’ application for a foreshore licence off Dublin Bay & the license option area off the Wicklow coastline.

Place: St Patricks Church, Church Road, Greystones, County Wicklow

Date: Monday 20th February

Time. 8pm

On Monday 20th February at 8pm a Public Meeting will be held in St Patrick’s Church Hall, Church Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow in respect to the Providence Resources’ application for a Foreshore Licence to undertake a site investigation and exploratory well drill off the Kish Bank. This application is being applied for under their current Standard Exploration Licence SEL 2/11 that covers an area stretching from Dublin Bay to south of Greystones.

This meeting is being facilitated by Protect our Coast (www.protectourcoast.net

) and local residents from Greystones. It is the intention of the organisers to hold an informative presentation and discussion in respect to the foreshore application.  The meeting will further address the overwhelming consensus vote of the Dalkey community & Dún Laoghaire community in supporting the call for a Public Enquiry prior to the issuance of any foreshore licence.

The meeting will have input from local and extended Wicklow/Dublin Bay residents, representatives and interested parties and follows on from similar community meetings held over January in Dalkey & Dún Laoghaire, which together attracted over 700 people.

The call for a Public Enquiry is receiving considerable community, NGO and local cross party support from TD’s and councilors who attended the Dalkey comunnity meeting including from the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore. A vote calling for a Public Enquiry at the Dún Laoghaire meeting received unanimous support from the 300+ attendees.

Issues of immediate concern to be addressed at the meeting relate to

the inadequacy of the Public Consultation period on the current application. (no notice given in Wicklow)

 the inadequacy of the Public Consultation process in respect to the 2011 IOSEA Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Irish and Celtic Seas.

The environmental risks associated with oil or gas extraction so close to coastline and to the greater Dublin Bay area and Wicklow Coastline (areas in which are located several SPA and SAC protected areas). The current licence option area is approximately 1.5 KM from Greystones & 3 KM from Bray.

 the fiscal terms in relation to the State.

To further the discussion of the wider environmental and societal implications of potential oil and gas commercial extraction in the Dublin Bay area and Wicklow Coastline.

why no EIS has been required in respect to the foreshore application.

In addition to the hundreds of submissions lodged to the Department of Environment in respect to the foreshore application, included those of Birdwatch Ireland and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG).  Both groups cited the need for a more adequate assessment of the ramifications of the initial foreshore application in respect to the marine and wildlife.

‘Given the importance of the area for these two species on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive the IWDG would expect a much greater treatment of the potential effects of drilling on these species. We consider the potential effects could be caused by disturbance from increased traffic but more importantly due to noise generated from the drilling process.’ Irish Whale and Dolphin Group / www.iwdg.ie

‘The ecological assessments and the Oil Spill Contingency Plan produced by the exploration company are poor; the latter does not include an oiled wildlife response, and the timings of occurrence of most species are inaccurate.’ Dr S Newton Birdwatch Ireland

Protect Our Coast www.protectourcoast.net

is an independent information website where the public can view all licence application, recent news and other relevant information.

While the time period for public submissions in respect to the application is over, the public are greatly encouraged to  continue addressing the call for a Public Enquiry and/or their concerns to the Minister of Environment and all their local TDs and Councilors.

Contact information can be found on the website.

For further information please contact:

Helen Cantrell

0876997958